Showing posts with label emergency. Show all posts
Showing posts with label emergency. Show all posts

Sunday, 4 December 2016

Top 10 tools a cyclist should own

Cycling is a multi-faceted sport and in order to be a well-rounded cyclist, not only do we have to sharpen our skills on the bike, but a decent amount of emphasis also has to be placed on our technical know-how when it comes to working on our bikes. Indexing gears, trouble-shooting a pesky squeak, replacing an old worn out chain with a new one, replacing a punctured inner tube with a new one and so on.

However, all of that knowledge and insight won't get you far if you don't have the tools to execute them. And with the ever rising cost of living and the less than decent performance of our Ringgit over the past few years, investing in a good set of tools will help you save some cash in the long run as you'll be able to handle your mechanical problems in-house rather than get a bike mechanic to do it which is going to cost you cash. So, here are my top 10 tools every self-sustaining cyclist should have in order of increasing importance.

Spoke wrench/key
Kicking off this list at number 1 is a spoke key. After a couple of thousand kilometers or so, the spokes on our rims will twist and turn unevenly from one another due to the various impacts our tyres make with the road and all it's bumps and surprises, This, after awhile, will cause the rim to go out of true. This may not seem like an issue at first, but if not treated soon, it can cause the drive-train or groupset to wear-out prematurely, especially the chain and rear cassette. After awhile, the rim may start to rub against your brake pads or worse, the chain stays. Eventually, the structural deformity may become permanent, costing you a bomb as you'll need a new rim. A spoke key is needed to adjust the spokes of your rim in order to bring it back into true again.

The main reason why a spoke key is at the bottom of my list so to speak is because it's not an emergency tool and you're probably only going to be using it once every one to two years at most. Apart form that, in the event you don't want to buy one, most bike stores offer wheel truing services as part of their basic tune-ups which will cost you some where around RM45 to RM60. So not too much of a big deal.

Torque wrench
At number 2 is a torque wrench, a highly recommended tool in the event you own a carbon bike. According to senior bike mechanics, the number one cause of damage to a carbon frame or carbon components is not crashes, but over-tightening. This is where a torque wrench comes in. It is essentially a wrench or spanar that will ensure you tighten the screw on your carbon frame and components to their recommended settings and not go beyond. You've already spent so much on your prestine carbon bike, invest a little more so it stays prestine.

A torque wrench will be significantly more useful to you than a spoke key, as you'll service your headset, groupset, seatpost and what not much more frequently than truing your wheels. Plus, in the event you have a bike bag and travel frequently with it to races, you're going to have to disassemble certain parts of your bike before storing it into the bag, that'll require a torque wrench so as to ensure everything is set appropriately.

Chain-cleaner
Next up is a chain cleaner. This takes the lead over the torque wrench as any self-respecting cyclist would clean his or her bike at fairly regular intervals or at least an appropriate amount depending on how much he or she rides. It prolongs the life of your groupset, improves your bike's performance, adds moral to your rides and it's certainly going to be done more often that disassembling parts of your bike and reassembling them with a torque wrench.

Anyone who's ever tried to get their bike's drive train absolutely spotless will know it's virtually impossible to achieve regardless of how much degreaser and detergent you throw at it. And before you say anything, I will have to admit that I was skeptical at first, but once I saw how effective and EASY it was to use a chain-cleaner, all doubts just faded away. If you're serious about how clean you want your bike to be, a chain-cleaner is going to get you a long way.

Chain tool
Perhaps the second commonest mechanical issue you'll face when out on a ride after a punctured tyre is a snapped chain. In the event you don't keep track of how worn out your chain is, it may just snap on you one fine day when you're hustling up that climb and putting all you've got into your cranks. Cleaning your bike and drive train regularly will prevent all that grime and dirt from building up but all the cleaning is the world isn't going to prevent the inevitable. Everything ages with time and so does your chain.  

'Chain stretch' comes from the bushings wearing with the chain pins. Overtime, the inner diameter of these bushings increase and the pins groove out. Not only does this result in sloppy shifts, but it increases the risk of your chain snapping.

Regardless if you're out on the road and need to temporarily mend a snapped chain with a quick link or at home and are planning on replacing a worn-out chain with a new one, you're going to require a chain tool to break the links in the new chain prior to installation or in the old prior to installing the quick links.

From this point onwards, you'll find the tools I've actually spent money on to purchase as I feel they're worth the investment in the long run and have allowed me to maintain my bike without the need to depend on a bike shop mechanic. 


Allen keys
They might not be the most useful tools in an emergency, but chances are, you'll probably be using a set of Allen keys more often to make fine adjustments when you're servicing your bike than a chain tool to replace a snapped chain by the side on the road. In fact, they're probably the only tools on this list that can be used outside of cycling. From putting together furniture to tightening a loose screw, you'll be a regular handyman with just a set of Allen keys.

However, in the event you're interested in saving some cash instead of splurging on a full drawer's worth of Allen keys, just pick up sizes 4, 5 and 6 as these are the most commonly used keys as far as bicycles are concerned. Of course, a torque wrench would be preferable over regular Allen keys especially if you own a carbon bike, but taking into account cost and overall practicality, Allen keys are far cheaper, easier to obtain, require no calibration and can be used for far more things than just bikes



Saddle bag
Probably one of the earliest upgrades to a bike a cyclist can make long before aero rims or top of the line group sets is a saddle bag. Now, granted, you're bike doesn't need a saddle bag to function, nor will having one make you go faster. If anything, it does add some amount of weight to the bike. But take a look around the next time you're on a group ride an chances are a good majority of the bikes you see, no matter how high-end they are, will have a saddle bag on them. It just makes it more convenient to carry your essential tools with you when out on a ride. Plus, they're relatively inexpensive with a decent one costing you below RM150, sub-RM100 if it's on sale. 

No more needing to constantly stuff inner tubes, a mini pump, a multi tool, patches, etc into your back pockets every time you want to go out for a ride. Keep it all in a saddle bag so you'll never have to worry about such things ever again. 


My trusty 12 year old saddle bag, still going strong


Tyre levers
A puncture is an eventuality every cyclist will have to face one day. Even if it occurs not too far from home and we're able to pedal back at a snail's pace, the inner tube will still need replacing nonetheless. Plus, the ability to replace a punctured inner tube is considered by many to be a must-have skill for any cyclist, regardless of skill level.

Even though you can, with some degree of difficulty, replace a punctured tube with a new one without the aid of tyre levers, a pair of plastic tyre levers will cost you less than RM10, are small and weigh next to nothing, making them ideal tools to carry with you on any ride so as to be prepared for a pesky puncture. Most bike shops tend to sell 'puncture kits' that include a couple of tyre levers with one or two spare inner tubes and some tyre patches too.


Some tyre levers and spare inner tubes


Mini-pump
While we're still on the subject of punctures, a pair of tyre levers will only get you half way. In the event of a road side puncture and your hours away from home, you're going to need a pump to inflate the newly installed inner tube. As conveniently quick it is to use a track pump when inflating a tyre, they're far to big and cumbersome to be carried on a long distance ride, even if your bike has panniers and a pannier rack. Here is where a mini-pump comes in.

They may take a little while longer in comparison to a track pump, but they're far more portable and light, making them ideal pocket tools on long distance rides. The mini-pump I bring along on long rides is attached to a holster of sorts which integrates well with the bottle cage mounting holes on the seat tube. However, in the event you choose to get one that has to be carried in your back pocket, then I'd recommend prioritising portability over inflation speed. The way I see it, I'd rather have something that I'm going to have to carry all the time be portable rather than save an extra minute or two on that rare occasion when I have to do a road-side fix.



Multi tool
In the event you want to be well-equiped but don't want to have too many tools cluttering your house, then perhaps you could invest in a multi tool containing most of the aforementioned tools. A decent RM100 - RM200 tool usually comes equipped with 50% of the tools on this list. The one I'm using is the Crank Brother M17 which has Allen keys sizes 2mm, 2.5mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm and 8mm, a chain tool that's 8, 9 and 10 speed compatible, a spoke wrench/key, a flat head and Phillips screwdrivers, a T-25 torx wrench for disc brake rotors and 8mm and 10mm open wrenches. If you do enough digging, you can probably find one for under RM130. The one I have is from USJ Cycles.

Ever since getting it, I've not had the need to reach for other individual tools, even when I'm sat at home and need to make adjustments to my bike. It's extremely portable and fits nicely in my saddle bag along with 2 spare tubes and 2 tyre levers. It weights just 168g and while it's probably not the lightest multi tool out there, what's a couple of extra grams for something that delivers exceptional value for money. 




Track pump
And finally, the most important tool, in my opinion, that every cyclist needs to have is a trawck pump. Even though you may have a mini-pump, there's no way it can beat out a track pump when it comes to practicality. It almost goes without saying that if you own a bicycle, you have to own a track pump. Even if you didn't have all the other tools on this list, if your tyres are underinflated or plain flat, there's no way you're going to be able to ride your bike without potentially damaging your tyres or rims or worse. It's like a owning a pair of running shoes without laces or a badminton racquet without it's string. Do I even need to get into this?


A pressure gauge like the one you see here would be preferable

And that's about it. This list wasn't put together with tons of scientific data to back it up. Instead, it's a very subjective one that takes into account my own personal experience with cycling tools as well as my opinions on how useful they are to the average cyclist, especially one who's on a budget. That's it for now. As always, feel free to leave any and all comments or questions in the comment section down below and I'll try my best to answer. Thank you for reading!

Saturday, 5 November 2016

Top 6 Tips When Cycling in a Group/Peloton

Cycling is a sport unlike any other, the wind in your face as you speed down hills north of 60k/h, or suffer up 45 degree climbs on that last cassette, all without the noisy rumblings of any gas-guzzling motorised aid. It is also a sport in which the term 'the more the merrier' applies to and very aptly as well if I may add. The sense of teamwork as your peloton blazes down the highway, eating up the kilometers with graceful stride or the sense of healthy competition and a little frustration as you try to keep up with the wheel in front of you so you don't get dropped by the group. And with the ever growing interest of cycling in Malaysia, more and more cycling groups are being established every day with group rides organised weekly, especially by local bike stores; the Specialized Concept Store in Petaling Jaya and Treknology (Trek Bicycles) in Kota Damansara organise weekend rides along the Guthrie Corridor Expressway (GCE). Regardless of your predicament, it can't be argued that riding in a group brings it's own unique sense of enjoyment. However, as with any leisurely pleasure, one should know how to enjoy it responsibly. So, here's my top 5 list of tips when it comes to riding in a group.

Don't be late
Among the many ways to make a bad first impression, being late is arguably close to the top of the list and riding in a group is no exception. Be courteous and respectful towards your fellow riders and understand that their time is precious too. Punctuality is especially more important when riding in a group as groups tend to plan to cover long distances during their rides and long distances equal large amounts of time spent in the saddle. An decent hour of running may equal a respectable 10 km to 15 km but only a mere 30 km for a cyclist. So you can imagine how long a weekend century or 100 km ride might take, taking into account the occasional rest stop and the post-ride nasi lemak breakfast.
Malaysians are infamously known for their satirical 'Malaysian Time' but in my honest opinion, it's a terrible excuse for being inconsiderate about others and my blood boils ever so slightly whenever I have the misfortune of dealing with such people. So, a good tip would be to be certain about the meet up point, determine via Google Maps or Waze or any other reliable GPS app the duration of travel from your house to the said meet up point, and allow yourself an extra 15 minutes or so in the event unforeseen circumstances arise. Pack your bicycle and other necessary equipment into your car the night before and get a good amount of sleep so as to be able to wake up fresh and on time. Let's put a stop to inconsiderate tardiness.

Know how to signal
Just because our bicycles don't come with built in indicator lights like our cars or motorcycles, that doesn't mean we have no means of signaling other road users, especially other cyclists, and forewarning them about what we're about to do next, thus making us more predictable to them as well as safer. Our own 2 hands are all we need. Even though there are lists of different cycling-related signage out there to learn, here is a brief list of the most used by groups on our roads based on personal experience (Images taken from Road Cycling UK):

Signaling to turn:



Slowing down:


Stopping


Oncoming hazard (objects usually on the left side of the road as that's the side we ride on, so point towards the right like so):


Pothole/other road irregularities (point to the potential danger on the road):


Move up or come through:


Thank you:

In the event you're passing a cyclist, please be mindful of the rules of the road as they apply to us too. This means only over taking on the right. An additional safety measure which can be taken is letting the cyclist in front of you know that you're passing by shouting out 'on your right' or by ringing a bell if you have one.



Go easy on the brakes
Drafting is perhaps unique to the sport of cycling. Essentially, it is the process of aligning yourself behind a rider so as take advantage of his or her slipstream, thus reducing the overall drag that's placed on us. In other words, you won't have to deal with the brunt of the air resistance ahead. This effect is even more noticeable in headwinds. When you're resting behind the wheel of the rider in font of you, you be'll be putting out less effort, 30% less theoretically speaking, to maintain a particular speed than compared to riding at the front or riding one your own. While this all seems nice, one of the most daunting lessons a cyclist will ever learn when cycling in a group for the first time is staying off the brakes while one's front wheel is within inches from the wheel of the rider in front. Plus, the fact you'll going at speeds upwards of 30 km/h won't be doing you any favors.

While emergency braking is definitely warranted in certain situations, most of the time however, if you ever find yourself going a little too fast when in a group, all you really have to do is stop pedaling. Once you've adjusted your speed, you'll find that braking would've been an unnecessary and potentially dangerous overcompensation. Of course, I'm not saying you'll never have to use your brakes when in a group. In fact, it is generally frowned upon to be cycling with both hands on the tops of the handle bar when in a group as your hands are far from the brakes. But, most of the time, minute adjustments in speed can be made by simply not pedaling.

Once you've mastered this little skill, you'll become a more predictable rider, which translates to a safer riding experience for both you and your fellow companions.




Service your bicycle
Nothing screams annoying like a squeaking bicycle. And as discomforting as it is for you to bare with, it's not at all easier for your fellow compatriots who want nothing more than to drop you as soon as possible. Not only that, a poorly maintained bike is going to cost you more in the long run as far as maintenance and riding pleasure go. So it's good to service your bike regularly, not only for group rides but riding in general. Fret not, I'm not expecting you to swap out your chain, bearings, cables and what not everytime you're about to embark on a group ride, but just spend a good 15 minutes to look over your bike from top to bottom and make sure everything is in working order. Here's a brief list of what I usually go through a day before a group ride:

  • I'll usually assess the chain and gears first, if they're filthy and full of gunk, I'll give my bike a wash from top to bottom along with some degreaser for the chain and gears, followed by a fresh new application of chain lube.
  • Break levers and shifters - check to see if they're in working order
  • Break pads - check to see if they're worn out or have bits of debris in them which may need removing
  • Wheels - check to see if they spin buttery smooth when lifted off the ground and given a spin
  • Tyres - are they at their optimal pressures?
  • Bottom bracket - if I'm experiencing unwanted noise coming from the bottom bracket (BB), I'll remove my cranks, clean out the BB and apply some fresh new grease, which usually sorts the problem out.
  • Pedals - squeaking may originate from pedals which haven't been serviced for a while
  • Equipment - ensure all lights and tools you're bringing along on your ride are in working order
Ensure your tyres have no surprises waiting for you



Be prepared
In essence, it's always advisable to be prepared for your ride by going over a map or a set of directions given to you by a group member or ride organiser, especially if you're riding a particular route for the first time. Inquire about road condition, rendezvous points or rest stops, as well as what their protocol is in the event you can't keep up with the group. This way, if you were to get lost or suffer a mechanical problem and you're on your own, you maybe able to call for help if you have a phone with you or make your way back to the starting point on your own.

Try not to get lost

Apart from that, bring along additional food and drink with you in the event your ride is going to take you an excess of 2 hours and always remember to have something light to eat before your ride, a banana or energy bar would be good choices. Regardless of how pleasant the company your share or the view along your route are, your ride is going to be far from enjoyable if you're lightheaded, drowsy, irritable and plain lacking energy from hypoglycaemia.

Have a decent meal before going out on a long ride


Next, ensure your tools and spares are all accounted for and in working order. Nothing like being stranded 50km from the nearest town due to a puncture, only to find you forgot to pack a spare tube or patches. If you're interested, here's my top 5 list of things to have with you when cycling, which should pretty much fit the bill. 

Apart from that, ensure any and all lights you maybe using are in working order and have a decent charge left in their batteries if you expect to be riding out before dawn or until after dusk. Our roads aren't exactly worldclass and neither are our road users. So don't be another road-accident fatality statistic. 

Be nice and have fun
Some may say this isn't so much a tip as it is common sense, but I stand by my point. I don't quite know what it is about Asian culture and our disinterest in socializing with others, but we as Malaysians are no exception to this. When we're put into a new situation, we tend to think so much about ourselves and how we're going to fit in that we forget about the other human beings around us. Relationships and bonds aren't built in an instant . So learn to step out of your comfort zone if you're the type of person who's even mildly introverted and talk to the other riders you meet. A "Good morning!" here or a "How are you?" there combined with a couple of "Have you eaten yet?"s in between (we're Malaysians aren't we?) will most certainly take you a long way. It will convey approachability and concern about others as well as expand your circle of friends.

Specialized Concept Store weekly Saturday grouprides - myself at the far left
It will also make other more inclined to look out for you when you're riding, making sure you're ok and checking on you from time to time. They may even work with you in the event both of you get dropped, allowing you to form a little team of your own and take turns drafting behind each other and hence, going faster too. Not only that, you may get to know of other cycling-related events through your mates that you may not have heard of that might interest you; equipment sales, other group rides, upcoming races, trouble shooting tips, etc.

And last but by no means least, have some fun! You may treat it as a competition if you'd like, but group rides are more of a means of socializing and bonding over a common interest. So use it as a means to enjoy yourself, improve your cycling, make new acquaintances, expand your knowledge, get healthier and blow off some steam from a long week's worth of work.

That's it for this post guys. As always, leave any and all comments of questions you may have in the comment section down below and I'll try my best to reply. Thank you for reading!

Sunday, 30 October 2016

Top 5 Most Important Equipment to Have When Cycling

It doesn't matter if you're new to cycling or a full-time professional, accidents can happen to us at any time when we're out on the roads regardless of our respective skill levels. This is especially more apparent here in Malaysia with our relatively sub-par road conditions and driving ethics in comparison to our more developed neighbors across the pond. The risk is only amplified the further we cycle from home on our occasional solo weekend epic century rides. Whether the fault falls on us, an errant driver. a sneaky pothole or mother nature herself, the best kinds of accidents are the ones we can walk away from in one piece without too much of a hassle. Even though there's no such thing as being too safe, one can still be prepared for the worst. With that in mind, here are my top 5 essential items to always carry without when you're out for a ride (helmets go without saying, duh!).

Identification
In the event something does happen to you *touch wood* and you end up lying by the side of the road, unconscious, it would be best if you carry with a decent amount of information about yourself. Things like your IC (Identification Card), a card with your blood type and other medical ailments such as known allergies and chronic conditions like diabetes mellitus, emergency contact numbers and anything else which you may think is relevant in the unfortunate circumstance you need emergency treatment. This will alert the relevant medical personnel regarding any significant medical history as well as allow them to contact your family or friends and update them on your condition. Most cycling jerseys have 3 pockets at the back, anyone of which would be more than sufficient to hold all your necessary info cards. I'd recommend keeping them in a waterproof ziplock bag or just a plain plastic bag so as long as it's intact.

IC, Blood group card, Organ donor card


Phone
Nowadays, it's hard to imagine being able to get through a day without our phones. They've become such integral part of our day to day dealings. From doing online shopping to GPS navigation (thank you Waze and Google Maps) to mapping our rides on Strava and snapping high-res pictures of our beautiful bikes and posting them on Instagram, all while being portable enough to fit into our pockets. In fact, some would even argue that living without a phone is an entire way of life on it's own. With it's multitude of functions, is it any wonder that a phone is on this list? In the event the explorer in you takes your ride a little too far and you get lost with day light fading away or you've suffered an irreparable mechanical problem, a friend or family member is just a call away or, at the very least, a taxi or an Uber (I'd go with the Uber). As with you're relevant info documents, you can stow your phone away in a ziplock bag into one of your back pockets. Alternatively, you could carry it in a saddle bag or a top tube bag that's not to crammed and cluttered with spare tubes and tyre levers, which brings us to the next item.

Emergency repair kit
A handful of more seasoned riders would say you've not riden you're bike enough if you've never had a puncture before. Regardless if that statement holds any weight at all, being able to mend a simple puncture or replace an inner tube should be within a cyclist's repertoire. After all, wouldn't it be embarrassing to be riding that expensive S-Works but not have a clue about basic bicycle care? If you don't already know how, then fret not for there are thousands upon thousands of tutorials on the mighty interweb, just take a little time and go do some research.


Saddle bag


In the even you're already well versed in the art of the punctured tyre, knowing how to solve your problem won't do you any good if you don't have the necessary tools with you at the time of the emergency. A couple of Allen keys, 2 spare inner tubes, 3 tyre levers and a mini-pump that's mounted onto my bike are what I carry with me all the time, just enough to get me back on 2 wheels and ride home. You may also consider picking up some tyre patches although I personally favour replacing a damaged tube immediately rather than mending it, purely for peace of mind so I don't have to worry about it acting up later on down the road. A CO2 (carbon dioxide) pump with a couple of CO2 canisters are the choice of some riders I know but I'm more traditional. Plus, in the event you don't securely attach the pump to the tyre valve, you may release all that CO2 into the air, wasting an entire canister. In the long run, a mini-pump is more economical. However, if you choose to go the CO2 pump way, make sure you know how to use it first.



Mini pump
3 generic tyre levers and 2 inner tubes = RM50

Apart from tyre complications, there is also the troublesome albeit uncommon issue of chain failure. In the even that does happen, having a chain-breaker along with a couple of emergency links with you will most definitely come in handy. You might not be able to shift through all your gears with the newly shortened chain, but it should at the very least get you home safely, following which you may look into installing a new chain. As I've already mentioned, having your chain snap on you is quite a rare phenomenon and I myself have had mine snap maybe twice throughout all my 12 odd years as a cyclist and because of this as well as for the sake of saving space in your saddle bag or bag pocket, I'd recommend getting a multi-tool with an integrated chain-breaker if you happen to be in the market for one. Even though it will get the job done significantly slower than a dedicated chain breaker, the way I see it, I am more than likely to not have my chain snap on me before it comes time for me to replace it due to wear and bike maintenance. So, I would prioritise portability over saving the additional few minutes in comparison to a dedicated chain-breaker.

My trusty Crankbrothers m17 multitool with chain-breaker 


Lights
In the event you commute to work regularly or enjoy going on night rights, chances are, visibility will become an issue, even on the most well lit of streets. Regardless of how much we spend on our bikes, kit or gear, none of that matters against a 2 ton lorry coming at us at upwards of 90km/h. Now, I understand that there is no guarantee lights are going to prevent us from getting hit by other road users or vice versa, but they will certainly reduce the risk, and as the saying goes, there's no such thing as being too safe. Investing in a decent front bicycle lamp that shines standard bright white light will illuminate your path ahead, allowing you to keep an eye out for potholes and other potential obstacles, enabling you to make the necessary steering corrections in time while a back lamp with a standard red light will warn motorists behind you of your presence. A fluorescent jacket or vest wouldn't be too bad as well, styling issues aside.


Cash
That epic ride: You set out before sunrise, route already pre-planned or programmed into your Garmin or smart phone, energy bars and gels fill up your back pockets, saddle bags packed with the necessary tools, bike in tip top shape and you're wearing your best kit. Two hours in, you're out of water, starving, you've eaten your last bar, you're not even half way done but you're miles from home. It's happened to me before and I'm sure I'm not the only one out there. Being a little overambitious isn't necessarily a bad thing when you're out on a ride as it is ambition that pushes us further and allows us to climb higher, so as long as you have a right resources should you need them. In this case, carrying a little cash with you while on the road will allow you to purchase extra food and drink and, in the event it's absolutely necessary, hail a cab to get you home or stay at a hotel for the night. I plan my rides a little better nowadays but I still do carry a small amount of cash with me in the event of an emergency and if I want to stop and get a small snack along the way, local homemade kuih (traditional cakes) and goreng pisang (banana fritters) can be quite appetising after a long ride, with a nice coconut to wash it all down!

A cool little trick that some cyclists do is remove the cap at the ends of your handle bars, roll up some cash tightly, then slot them into your handle bar. Replace the cap afterwards. This is a nifty little trick if you don't like carry cash on you in fear of being mugged. At least this way, once you've emptied your pockets and the douche that robs you leaves, you've still got some cash with you. If he does decide to take off with your bike though, well, that just can't be helped.

Remove the handlebar cap


Roll up some cash


Insert cash into handle bar


Replace cap


There you have it, my top 5 most essential items to have with you when you're out riding. Now, I will admit I took a little leeway with some of the points, so they're not exactly five, but I deem them all to be important nonetheless. Did I miss anything or do you think there are other things that more important than any of the 5 I've mentioned? Do let me know and leave any questions or comments you have in the comment section down below and I will try my best to reply. Thanks for reading!